Not about to join the 210-mile club?

HERE ARE A FEW FUN WALKS I’?D RECOMMEND ALONG THE OUTERBELT.

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1 ALONG THE SHORE

For by-the-books Outerbelt hikers, the official start (and finish) line is the iconic Buckingham Fountain downtown. The route traces nearly 18 miles of the Lakefront Trail all of them scenic-with the fountain smack-dab in the middle. For a one-day excursion, I suggest starting north of the fountain at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary in Lincoln Park. Go in the early morning for gorgeous peek-a-boo lake views and the chance to chat with knowledgeable bird-watchers. Next, head south to Belmont Harbor and the new-in-2022 AIDS Garden Chicago, where a Keith Haring sculpture, SelfPortrait, memorializes those who have died from HIV. (Be sure to scan the QR codes linking to personal stories.) Continue to Buckingham Fountain and its 150-foot-tall water display, then rent a city Divvy bike to ride to the tip of Northerly Island; this urban sanctuary for native plants and migrating birds offers a gorgeous, little-known perspective of the skyline.

2 HISTORY LESSONS